Healthy range of motion helps prevent muscle and joint injuries and improves your athletic performance. Natural flexibility varies from person to person. Stretching is one of the best ways to maintain and improve your flexibility, and even inflexible muscles can and should be stretched. If you have tight, inflexible muscles, a variety of techniques can help you increase flexibility comfortably and enjoyably.

Foam Roll

Elongate tight muscles by releasing them with a foam roller. This technique is more comfortable and eliminates potential stretching injuries caused by traditional stretches, which can cause elastic fibers in your muscles to contract back to their original length after you stretch them, according to Dr. Ryan Emmons, author of "Roll Release Foam Roller Techniques: Muscles of the Spine and Lower Extremity." A foam roller relies on gentle body weight pressure to release tight connective tissues and does not require moving or stretching the muscle. Rest the muscle you want to roll on the cylindrical foam roller and, with slow and controlled motion, roll the entire length of the muscle back and forth across the roller for about two minutes, then switch muscle groups. After foam rolling you can stretch more effectively and safely. Rolling is also preferable around an injured joint or before surgery to keep the area conditioned and assist healing.

Warmup and Cooldown

Warm up your muscles before stretching. A few minutes of light jogging or walking increases blood flow, making muscles easier and safer to stretch, according to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center. If you jog, walk or do some other type of exercise after stretching, plan to stretch again afterwards. Post-exercise stretching counteracts the contraction that occurs during exercise and returns your muscles to their longer resting length. This is particularly helpful for keeping tight muscles loosened. Stretching after you warm up or cool down also gradually improves your flexibility. If your time is limited choose the post-exercise stretch, being careful not to overstretch as this is the time when your muscles are most flexible.

Facilitated Stretching

Tight muscles often respond well to facilitated stretching, also known as proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, or PNF. Facilitated stretching uses the principle of reciprocal muscle activation; when you contract a muscle, such as the quadriceps, your central nervous system automatically inhibits its opposite, in this case the hamstring, allowing that muscle to stretch. You can perform facilitated stretches by yourself or with a partner in a three-step process. First, actively move your limb to lengthen the muscle. Second, isometrically contract the target muscle. You can do this with the help of a strap or by having your partner provide resistance. Third, actively stretch the muscle into a greater range of motion.

Strengthening

Tight muscles may indicate muscle imbalance, in which stronger muscles become shortened and contracted while weaker muscles become over-stretched. Researchers of a study published in the February 2006 issue of the "Journal of Sport Rehabilitation" found that a strengthening program helped prevent postural problems caused by tight muscles in competitive swimmers. Over time, such an imbalance can lead to joint dysfunction and injury. To help stretch overly tight muscles, locate and strengthen your weak muscles, which are often the smaller support muscles, such as the rotator cuff of the shoulder. Strengthening weak muscles balances muscle tension around a joint and results in healthier joint function. Consult a qualified health professional to determine whether strength imbalance is the cause of your tight muscles.